Easy walking course with good views of Brodick and it’s surrounds
Round £27. Par 65. Slope (yellow) 109. Value (out of 5) – 4
The Isle of Arran sits off the North Ayrshire coast, accessible all year round by regular ferry crossings from the Port of Ardrossan or, during Summer, from the Kintyre peninsular. The main port is Brodick, which is also home to one of the 7 golf courses on the island.
Moly on the 17th green at Brodick, with Goat Fell dominating the background.
The Brodick course was founded with 9 holes in 1897 and designed by John Duncan of Glasgow. It was originally sited in an elevated position near Knowe and West Mayish, as noted on the www.golfsmissinglinks.co.uk web site. It moved to the current location in 1913.
The 10th green at Brodick, with a Calmac ferry in the background in the town of Brodick, the main port on the island of Arran
At only just over 4500 yards this is a short course, but has a slope rating of 109 due, I suspect, to several of the nine par 3s being very difficult; the 4th and 15th are over the “Glenrosa Water”, the 167 yard 8th deserves its stroke index 3 rating with a difficult plateau green tight against a set of trees, and the 188 yard 13th requires a blind shot taken close to the beach if the green is to be found.
The short par three 4th hole, one of 2 over water par 3s on the Brodick golf course
The course was in excellent condition when I played with Fran during our Arran venture. Although adjacent to the bay this is most definitely mainly arable turf and therefore not a links course. In fact in the fine weather, the tall pine trees across the 5th, made us feel we were playing in Portugal – albeit I don’t imagine that happens often.
The magnificent pine trees on Brodick’s 5th hole, a dog leg left par 4
With excellent true greens, this helped my 80, for a net par round, so I was very pleased especially my back nine of 37.
The treacherous 11th tee at Brodick golf course
Unfortunately the clubhouse and changing rooms had seen better days. It felt like the run down changing rooms of football clubs I played with in the 70s!
Nevertheless, this is a good course and one well worth playing. The green fee made for excellent value, like the other Arran courses.
Officious Starter didn’t disrupt my enjoyment at this nice course
Round £25. Par 63. Slope (yellow) 97. Value (out of 5) – 4
Having booked a twilight round on GolfNow we reported at Whiting Bay about 25 minutes before our tee time and were told abruptly by the starter “You can’t go before your time!”. Taken aback, we responded politely, “That’s absolutely fine, we were only advising you we were here”. With no putting green available or practice net in operation, we loitered around the first tee for 20 minutes (no-one else teed off in the meantime), after which the icy starter announced “You may as well go now”.
This story is hopefully not representative of how people are welcomed at Whiting Bay and the starter was undoubtedly unaware that one day people might read about how we were treated on arriving there. But I write it because Arran is a holiday destination and golf is a big attraction on the island, with 7 courses available; it’s important clubs present a welcoming feel, as they are part of a wider hospitality sector. Sometimes you only get one chance.
The 11th at Whiting Bay, with views of Holy Isle in the background.
The golf course opened in 1895 and is set on a hillside above Whiting Bay, a substantial village located on the east side of the Isle of Arran, which sits in the Firth of Clyde just off the North Ayrshire coast – it is accessed by ferry from the Port of Ardrossan.
The par 4 8th deserving of being the Stroke Index 1 hole at Whiting Bay in Arran.
Regrettably, I couldn’t find any information about the course architect on the website, which is a shame. The course has some clues for the students of golf architecture. Several holes’ fairways crisscross each other, making it a potentially hazardous walk. Some of the greens are very undulating, and some very flat. There are some very large greens, most notably the short par four 6th hole which was only just over 250 yards, whereas the difficult uphill mid-iron par three 3rd had a tiny green. Contrast this with the often clever use of small greens to protect short par 4s, typical of James Braid’s designs. I would be grateful for any information if readers have any about Whiting Bay’s designer.
Whiting Bay has outstanding views, here looking back from the first green with the clubhouse lower down the hill.
It is also a tough walk, and uphill all the way to the 4th green – I would recommend a buggy or power trolley for those less able. There are however no bunkers and the fairways are very generous, which with the length of under 4500 yards, results in slope ratings of 97(yellow), 99(white) and 98 (red). In summary, it’s good holiday golf, except if you are unfit! Also, for occasional golfers, in particular, please take at least 2 clubs more on the uphill holes, most notable the 1st and 16th.
The 6th is the best example of the odd design, a par 4 at just over 250 yards, but with a huge green.
The course was in great condition and clearly well maintained, albeit the greens were very mossy which really detracted from the rest of the set up. On the day I had a very good round of 76 against the par of 63, especially after I had recorded two triple bogies in the first 4 holes.
The really difficult 17th Green. It was such a pity the greens were so ‘mossy’.
With outstanding views abounding, and the reasonable twilight rates, this is excellent value. Just don’t turn up early, especially when the clubhouse is closed!
Facts:
Course Type:Parkland
Par 63 (0 par 5s, 9 par 4s, 9 par 3s)
Distance: 4092
Moly’s Gross score: 76
Moly’s Whiting Bay scorecard – 76 but with 2 triple bogies. Ouch!
One explanation makes sense – this is perhaps God’s home course.
Round £26 (12 holes). Par 42. Value (out of 5) – 5
Shiskine is probably the greatest 12 hole golf course in the world, but that hardly does the course justice.
The Isle of Arran sits off the North Ayrshire coast, accessible all year round by regular ferry crossings from the Port of Ardrossan or, during Summer, from the Kintyre peninsular.
Moly putting for birdie at the 4th “The Shelf” hole at Shiskine, in benign conditions.
Several areas of Scotland self proclaim the title of best destination for golf, with the East Neuk of Fife and the North Berwick coastline being the headline events. But when it comes to the best value destination for golf (worldwide?) Arran sits comfortably at the top of any list – in my humble opinion. This island of 432km2 has a population of 5,000, with a majority of the people working in the hospitality sector. Arran has 7 golf courses, which all sit on the periphery of the island and are easily accessed; none of them has a weekly green fee greater than £30. With many hotels, B&Bs and campsites, Arran is a must visit golfing destination.
Shiskine, set on the west of the island, is the jewel in Arran’s crown.
The par 3 ‘Craws Nest’, 3rd, with views over the beautiful Shiskine layout.
It is said you should never meet your heroes as it can be so disappointing. It was with a similar sentiment I embarked for Arran with nightmares about losing all my balls into the sea from Shiskine’s formidable first tee. Such was my desperation to play that immediately after pitching our caravan and with pristinely tranquil conditions, I psychologically ran to the course to grab a twilight round at only £21. Without a pre-shot routine, and with a vice like will to keep my head over the ball, I drove a low running drive over 200 yards up the fairway – hallelujah! Entering a trance like state, I then proceeded to play the 12 holes in 47, or 5 over par – not quite the best round of my life, but I cannot remember smiling so much to myself during a round of golf.
The terrifying par 4 “Road Hole” first at Shiskine, with OOB left all the way to the hole.
Perhaps by ‘divine’ intervention, a feasibility study in the late 1800s rejected building a deep water pier on the current golf course site to serve the local port of Blackwaterfoot. Sometime thereafter, Willie Fernie of Troon (who also designed Turnberry’s Ailsa course), laid out the original 9 hole course, which opened in 1896, although only the current 5th and 9th holes survive from then.
The difficult stroke index1 second hole at Shiskine, a tough par 4 with a burn in front of the green capturing many of the blind second shots into the green. Take enough club.Atop Drumadoon Hill in the background was where 6 holes returned to waste during the first world war
The course was extended to 18 holes just before the first world war using land above the current ‘shelf’ area of the 3rd green, but fell into disrepair during that war. Several attempts during the decades after failed to reestablish an 18 hole course.
Willie Park (Sunningdale and the North Course at Olympic Park, Chicago) then designed the current 12 holes between 1925-28. 18 holes play is reserved for member only competitions with the 1st, 2nd, 9th, 11th, 12th replayed with a further hole using a unique “15th” tee into the 4th green.
The course is not long, at just under 3000 yards from the white tees for the 12 holes, and 4,878 for the 18 hole layout; its slope rating is only 99 and disappointingly has no red ‘ladies’ tee boxes. It has 7 par 3s, 1 par 5 and 4 par 4s. Despite its short length, this is really fun golf, with very many blind tee or approach shots. I would strongly recommend reading the course guide, there is, for example, a bale out area to the right of the blind 3rd green, so aiming right of the flag is imperative. It’s rather hard to adequately describe the course other than saying it’s magical. It’s not perfect though, with the 12th a rather underwhelming short finishing hole. Nevertheless, it actually made me feel like I was playing my part in a Michael Murphy (Golf in the Kingdom) style mystical adventure with Shivas Irons as a playing partner. Perhaps I exaggerate. I can conclude by saying that I doubt you’d find anything like this course other than in Scotland and it’s a must play destination.
The 4th at Shiskine, a collage of dreams.
I’ve often pondered what golf handicap God might have? I’ve concluded that it would make sense if he or she were to have the exact average Scottish men’s or women’s handicap. God’s preferred course would be majestic, but not too difficult. For example, it wouldn’t have par 4s or par 3s that are really disguised par 5s or 4s respectively. It wouldn’t have any carries off the tee that effectively disenfranchise most higher handicap players. It would be set amid a beautiful landscape. It would offer a mix of guile and strategy. Some of the shots would be frightening. The greens, tees, fairways and all round conditions would be perfect. The weather or elements would play a significant part of the experience. Play would have to be fast – so he/she decided 12 holes was the best length. In the right conditions, it would bring you close to it’s maker.
Perhaps God did design Shiskine after all. Please go and play.
Facts:
Course Type:Links
Par 42 (1 par 5, 4 par 4s, 7 par 3s)
Distance: 2770
Moly’s Gross score: 47
Moly’s life affirming 5 over for the 12 wonderful holes at Shiskine
A favorite course of The Times’ sports photographers Marc Aspland and Bradley Ormesher
Round £25. Par 69. Value (out of 5) – 3.5
They say you should never meet your heroes. After reading an article in The Times (25th Aug 2020) about Colvend golf course by the sports photographers Marc Aspland and Bradley Ormesher, I felt obliged to seek out the course whilst in the south west of Scotland on a golf trip a couple of weeks later. Marc and Bradley had written so lovingly about a place that was clearly deep in their hearts, to the extent that the “third hole at Colvend remains my favorite place”, even when compared with Open venues. Really?
Moly (top) replicates the photo of Marc Aspland (bottom) at the third hole “Solway View” that appeared in The Times article on 25 th Aug 2020.
Colvend golf course has 9 holes either side of the A710, the road which skirts the northern coast of the Solway Firth, from Dumfries and Dalbeattie. The course was established in 1905 with the 9 holes on the coastal side of the road, designed by Willie Fernie (Ailsa course at Turnberry) and the 9 inland holes were added in 2005 by Dave Thomas (Belfry, Spey Valley).
13th hole at Colvend, easily the stroke index 1 hole, and a clearly modern parkland design which could be picked up from the Belfry. Plan your way to a bogie and move on quick!
Although on the coast, this is very much a parkland layout, with great views on a couple of holes across the Solway Firth to the Lake District.
Looking at the card, you’ll see the difference in length between the original holes and the ones later laid out by Thomas – the par 4 18th at 266 yards, was the original 9th hole. There’s also significant architectural differences as well, with the coastal holes being very naturally laid out, and the inland holes being clearly “designed”, no more so than at the 13th, the clear stroke index 1 hole.
There are some neat challenges as well. The par three 8th has a hidden burn in front so take enough club, but with danger behind the green as well, I imagine this being a “lay-up par 3” for many of the members.
The dangerous 8th green, take at least 1 extra club to avoid the water in front, which is obscured from the tee.
The par-4 dogleg 18th is a clever hole. Only 266 yards long, I imagine the longer hitters see this as a risk reward hole, trying to drive the green. But the green has a burn in front and very large trees obscuring the approach, mean you need to be well back to get over easily. With no wind it’s probably something like 7 iron, then wedge to the green. Very strategic, and to be fair to Dave Thomas, it has the feel of the 10th at the Belfry.
Keep left on the 4th, with plenty of room to chip and putt. One of the original naturally designed holes.
The course was in decent, but not great, condition when I played, but to be fair we had only recently come out of the first prolonged covid-19 lockdown so everyone was just grateful to be out of the house. The greens had become quite mossy.
The 18th green at Colvend with treacherous burn awaiting to spoil a good round
Few things to be aware of. This is not an easy walk as the amount of buggies for hire in the car park attested to, so is not necessarily an occasional holiday golf game venue; the steep uphill first being one of several inclines to navigate. There was also a need for better signposting between the 16th green and the 17th tee, which left Fran and I lost for a few minutes.
The aptly named “Roon the Bend” 17th hole, which is difficult to find, the clue is its part of the 12th tee, but you can’t see that as you walk onto the “17th” tee.
Despite high winds I scored very well breaking my handicap with a steady round. I did walk off though a little perplexed at how “rose tinted” The Times article had been – it was a nice course, but sometimes over-marketing isn’t actually good business as it can just lead to disappointment. Perhaps it needed a clearer day for those views.
Worth playing.
Facts:
Course Type:Coastal/Parkland
Par 69 (1 par 5, 13 par 4s, 5 par 3s)
Distance: 5036
Moly’s Gross score: 83
Colvend Scorecard – 83 in high winds a great day out, level against SSS of 67
